Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour
Self guided from EUR € 799
Bike and Boat Tour aboard Arkona or De Willemstad
Countries: Holland
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Discover Dutch culture along the waterways of Friesland and Northern Holland.
Nowhere else in the world will you find an area as fascinating to explore as the Dutch Provinces of North Holland and Friesland, two areas rich in tradition, full of romantic fishing and harbor villages, picturesque lakes, and expansive North Sea vistas. Over the course of your week onboard your floating hotel, the ship DE Willemstad, you will be able to discover typical Dutch culture in picturesque harbor towns and small villages while you cycle through a flat "polder land," extensively reclaimed over the centuries from the North Sea.
What you will soon realize is the truth behind the proverb "God created the earth but the Dutch made Holland." This has been proven through the extent of land reclamation in the region you will be cycling through. Since the 17th century, in an effort to save disappearing land from encroaching water, protective dikes have been built, low-lying land has been pumped dry, and tidal dams have been created in creeks to prevent flooding. Today’s green flat polder landscape is full of agricultural enterprise.
Given the Dutch love of cycling, the region is crisscrossed with many quiet cycle tracks that stretch from one end of the region to the other. You will be amazed by the beauty of the North Sea beaches, the towering sand dunes – who said there were no hills in Holland! – the extremely bike-friendly island of Texel, the beautiful flat landscapes, small dreamlike farm villages, and picturesque harbor villages. During the second part of the tour, you will cross the large lake IJsselmeer to Stavoren in the Province of Friesland.
Other highlights during your week tour include the open-air museum "Zaanse Schans," the historic city center of Alkmaar and the old harbor cities of Medemblik, Enkhuizen, Hoorn and Volendam, the islands of Texel and Marken, and, of course, Amsterdam with its beautiful canals.
Highlights
- Zaanse Schans- open air museum
- Texel and it's beaches
- Zuiderzeemuseum
- Historic harbor towns and picturesque villages
- Amsterdam with its canals
Learn More
Learn more about self-guided trips.
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Traveler photos
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Daily program
Day 1: Arrival in Amsterdam | Cruise Amsterdam – Zaandam
Embarkation between 2:00-4:30pm in Amsterdam. Take the opportunity to go shopping or explore downtown Amsterdam, world famous for its canals, its quirky "leaning" buildings, museums, the Anne Frank House, the Waterlooplein Flea Market, the Dam Square in the historical center and heart of the city. Welcome meeting, cocktail, and first briefing on board at 5:00pm. During dinner, the boat will cruise to Zaandam.
Overnight in Zaandam.Day 2: Cycle Zaandam – "Zaanse Schans" – Alkmaar (27 miles/44 km)
The first bike trip of this tour takes you via small villages through the beautiful flat and green polder landscape. The first stop is at the Zaanse Schans open-air museum (free entry) with its traditional Old Dutch wooden houses, windmills and the cheese and clog factory. After this visit you will cycle through the “Land of Leeghwater,” a green polder area between Amsterdam, Alkmaar and Hoorn. Stroll through the former whaler’s village De Rijp and pass by the windmills of Schermerhorn. Your ship will be waiting for you near the historical city center of Alkmaar.
Overnight in Alkmaar.Day 3: Dune tour: Cycle round-trip Alkmaar | Cruise Alkmaar – Den Helder (20 miles/33 km or 25 miles/40 km)
Today you can discover the beautiful North-Holland Dune reserve. This is a 5,300-hectare forest and dune area with its unique landscapes. The drinking water for almost the whole province of North-Holland is gained in these dunes. After a visit to the beach and artists village Bergen you will return to Alkmaar where you can visit the wonderful city center. In the afternoon your ship will sail over the North-Holland Canal to the navy harbor of Den Helder.
Overnight in Den Helder.Day 4: Ferry to North Sea island of Texel; roundtrip tour from 't Horntje | Cruise Den Helder – Den Oever (your choice of distance: 20-30 miles/ 34-51 km)
During breakfast, you'll take a 20 minutes ferry ride from Den Helder to the isle of Texel (ticket included in tour cost), where you can take a cycling tour on the largest of the Dutch North Sea Isles. You will cycle through beautiful natural parks and have the opportunity for a stop and some bathing at the beach. Suggestion: cycle the beautiful “Thijsse-route” (with signposting, approximately 25 miles) through picturesque villages and landscapes and visit the seal sanctuary “Ecomare.” In the afternoon you'll cycle back to Den Helder, and during dinner you'll cruise to Den Oever.
Overnight in Den Oever.Day 5: Cruise Den Oever – Stavoren | Cycle Southwest Friesland round trip (27 miles/43 km or 34 miles/55 km)
The vessel will cross the large inland lake IJsselmeer to cruise to Stavoren in the Province of Friesland. You can opt for a shorter or longer cycling tour: discover the nature area of Gaasterland or explore a part of the wide lake district, that Friesland is well-known for. You can also combine both options. Night in Stavoren, one of the famous 11 cities of Friesland.
Overnight in Stavoren.Day 6: Cruise Stavoren – Medemblik | Cycle Medemblik – Hoorn – Enkhuizen (24 miles/39 km or 31 miles/51 km)
Your ship will cross the IJsselmeer again during breakfast. Take the short bike trip from Medemblik along the IJsselmeer coast directly to Enkhuizen, where you can spend the afternoon. Enkhuizen is an old city with many centuries of maritime tradition. The “herring city” boasts a beautiful old harbor, a historical old town center, and the very interesting Zuiderzeemuseum. If you prefer a longer cycling tour, ride from Medemblik to the former Dutch East India Company town of Hoorn, in the 17th century one of the world’s leading harbors. Enjoy your lunch break and make a short stroll in the old city center. Continue by bike to Enkhuizen via some picturesque rural villages. In the evening you can join a short city walk.
Overnight in Enkhuizen.Day 7: Cruise Enkhuizen – Volendam | Cycle Volendam – Waterland – Amsterdam (17 miles/28 km or 31 miles/50 km)
During breakfast, the ship will cruise to Volendam. Your final day of cycling will lead you through the beautiful area of Waterland with its hundreds of small lakes and tiny canals. Near Volendam you will have the opportunity to visit a cheese farm. Recommended (extra miles) is a detour to the former island of Marken, to continue through the water shaped region of Waterland back to the Dutch capital city of Amsterdam.The afternoon and evening are yours to enjoy everything Amsterdam has to offer. If you didn't go for a canal tour on the first day, you will have the opportunity to do so today.
Overnight in Amsterdam.Day 8: Amsterdam: Disembarkation
After breakfast, disembarkation by 9:30am and end of the tour.If guests don’t want to cycle a day (or more) they can relax and stay on board while the ship is cruising. Please note: lunch will not be served on board, so you can enjoy your packed lunch. In case of unfavorable weather conditions, the captain may decide to change the route.
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Accommodation
Boats
- Upper deck
- 12 two-bed cabins with large floor to ceiling windows that can open from the top down to midpoint
- 2 single bed cabins with panoramic windows that open
- Salon/bar on the upper deck with panoramic windows
- Air conditioned restaurant on the lower deck
- Partially covered sundeck
Arkona
The Arkona is a new boat to our collection. It was completely refurbished in 2018 prioritizing comfort and elegance. It has two deck levels, a lovely dining room, and a partially shaded sundeck making it the perfect place to relax after a day of cycling. Read more
Overview
De Willemstad
De Willemstad was originally used on the Danube waterways. After it's complete renovation in 2017/2018, the boat now cruises the waterways of Holland. Read more
Overview
- Upper deck
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Bikes
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Standard Touring Bike - Azor
- Unisex, aluminum frame
- Handbrakes
- Shimano 7-speed nexus drive
- Selle-Royal gel saddle
- Fixed lock
- Schwalbe Marathon tires
Included with the bike rental:
- Detachable pannier bag
- Pump
- Repair kit
Electrically Assisted Bike - Azor Steps (limited number, upon request)
- Nexus 7-gears
- Handbrakes
- Selle-Royal gel saddle
- Shimano motor (400 WH) with 4 levels of support
- Gel saddle
- Fixed lock
Included with the bike rental:
- Detachable pannier bag
- Pump
- Repair kit
*More about electrically-assisted bikes >
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Standard Touring Bike - Azor
- Unisex, aluminum frame
- Handbrakes
- Shimano 7-speed nexus drive
- Selle-Royal gel saddle
- Fixed lock
- Schwalbe Marathon tires
Included with the bike rental:
- Detachable pannier bag
- Pump
- Repair kit
Electrically Assisted Bike - Azor Steps (limited number, upon request)
- Nexus 7-gears
- Handbrakes
- Selle-Royal gel saddle
- Shimano motor (400 WH) with 4 levels of support
- Gel saddle
- Fixed lock
Included with the bike rental:
- Detachable pannier bag
- Pump
- Repair kit
*More about electrically-assisted bikes >
Bike Protection:
Bike protection can be purchased at the time of booking. You can read more about that HERE.Dates & Prices
Questions about pricing or options? Call +1-215-613-0874 to talk to a Tour Advisor now.
Mar 29Mar 29 De Willemstad € 890 Book Mar 29Mar 29 De Willemstad € 1290 Book Mar 30Mar 30 Arkona € 890 Book Mar 30Mar 30 Arkona € 1290 Book Apr 5Apr 5 De Willemstad € 890 Book Apr 5Apr 5 De Willemstad € 1290 Book Apr 12Apr 12 De Willemstad € 990 Book Apr 12Apr 12 De Willemstad € 1440 Book Apr 13Apr 13 Arkona € 990 Book Apr 13Apr 13 Arkona € 1440 Book Apr 19Apr 19 De Willemstad € 1140 Book Apr 19Apr 19 De Willemstad € 1665 Book Apr 26Apr 26 De Willemstad € 1290 Book Apr 26Apr 26 De Willemstad € 1890 Book Apr 27Apr 27 Arkona € 1290 Book Apr 27Apr 27 Arkona € 1890 Book May 3May 3 De Willemstad € 1390 Book May 3May 3 De Willemstad € 2040 Book May 10May 10 De Willemstad € 1390 Book May 10May 10 De Willemstad € 2040 Book May 11May 11 Arkona € 1390 Book May 11May 11 Arkona € 2040 Book May 17May 17 De Willemstad € 1390 Book May 17May 17 De Willemstad € 2040 Book May 24May 24 De Willemstad € 1390 Book May 24May 24 De Willemstad € 2040 Book May 25May 25 Arkona € 1390 Book May 25May 25 Arkona € 2040 Book May 31May 31 De Willemstad € 1390 Book May 31May 31 De Willemstad € 2040 Book Jun 7Jun 7 De Willemstad € 1390 Book Jun 7Jun 7 De Willemstad € 2040 Book Jun 8Jun 8 Arkona € 1390 Book Jun 8Jun 8 Arkona € 2040 Book Jun 14Jun 14 De Willemstad € 1390 Book Jun 14Jun 14 De Willemstad € 2040 Book Jun 21Jun 21 De Willemstad € 1390 Book Jun 21Jun 21 De Willemstad € 2040 Book Jun 28Jun 28 De Willemstad € 1390 Book Jun 28Jun 28 De Willemstad € 2040 Book Jul 5Jul 5 De Willemstad € 1290 Book Jul 5Jul 5 De Willemstad € 1890 Book Jul 12Jul 12 De Willemstad € 1290 Book Jul 12Jul 12 De Willemstad € 1890 Book Jul 26Jul 26 De Willemstad € 1290 Book Jul 26Jul 26 De Willemstad € 1890 Book Aug 2Aug 2 De Willemstad € 1290 Book Aug 2Aug 2 De Willemstad € 1890 Book Aug 9Aug 9 De Willemstad € 1290 Book Aug 9Aug 9 De Willemstad € 1890 Book Aug 16Aug 16 De Willemstad € 1290 Book Aug 16Aug 16 De Willemstad € 1890 Book Aug 23Aug 23 De Willemstad € 1390 Book Aug 23Aug 23 De Willemstad € 2040 Book Aug 30Aug 30 De Willemstad € 1390 Book Aug 30Aug 30 De Willemstad € 2040 Book Sep 6Sep 6 De Willemstad € 1390 Book Sep 6Sep 6 De Willemstad € 2040 Book Sep 13Sep 13 De Willemstad € 1290 Book Sep 13Sep 13 De Willemstad € 1890 Book Sep 20Sep 20 De Willemstad € 1140 Book Sep 20Sep 20 De Willemstad € 1665 Book Sep 27Sep 27 De Willemstad € 990 Book Sep 27Sep 27 De Willemstad € 1440 Book Oct 4Oct 4 De Willemstad € 890 Book Oct 4Oct 4 De Willemstad € 1290 Book Show pricing details and extra options →
Pricing details and extra options
Season A:
De Willemstad: Mar 29, Apr 5, Oct 4
Arkona: Mar 30Season B:
De Willemstad: Apr 12, Sep 27
Arkona: Apr 13Season C:
De Willemstad: Apr 19, Sep 20Season D:
De Willemstad: Apr 26, Jul 5, 12, 26; Aug 2, 9, 16; Sep 13
Arkona: Apr 27Season E:
De Willemstad: May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; Jun 7, 14, 21, 28; Aug 23, 30; Sep 6
Arkona: May 11, 25; Jun 8- Season A 2025 Mar 29, Apr 5, Oct 4 from € 8902025 departures: Mar 29, Apr 5, Oct 4
2025 March Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 April Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 October Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Double occupancy Lower deck Twin cabin € 890 Upper deck Twin cabin € 1140 Suite € 1390 Single occupancy Price Lower deck Twin cabin for single use € 1290 Upper deck Single cabin € 1455 Twin cabin for single use € 1665 Bike Rentals Price City touring bike, 7-speed Included Electrically assisted bike limited number, only on request€ 154 Helmet € 10 - Season B 2025 Apr 12, Sep 27 from € 9902025 departures: Apr 12, Sep 27
2025 April Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 September Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Double occupancy Lower deck Twin cabin € 990 Upper deck Twin cabin € 1240 Suite € 1490 Single occupancy Price Lower deck Twin cabin for single use € 1440 Upper deck Single cabin € 1585 Twin cabin for single use € 1815 Bike Rentals Price City touring bike, 7-speed Included Electrically assisted bike limited number, only on request€ 154 Helmet € 10 - Season C 2025 Apr 19, Sep 20 from € 11402025 departures: Apr 19, Sep 20
2025 April Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 September Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Double occupancy Lower deck Twin cabin € 1140 Upper deck Twin cabin € 1390 Suite € 1690 Single occupancy Price Lower deck Twin cabin for single use € 1665 Upper deck Single cabin € 1780 Twin cabin for single use € 2040 Bike Rentals Price City touring bike, 7-speed Included Electrically assisted bike limited number, only on request€ 154 Helmet € 10 - Season D 2025 Apr 26, Jul 5, 12, 26; Aug 2, 9, 16; Sep 13 from € 12902025 departures: Apr 26, Jul 5, 12, 26; Aug 2, 9, 16; Sep 13
2025 April Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 July Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 August Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 September Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Double occupancy Lower deck Twin cabin € 1290 Upper deck Twin cabin € 1540 Suite € 1840 Single occupancy Price Lower deck Twin cabin for single use € 1890 Upper deck Single cabin € 1975 Twin cabin for single use € 2265 Bike Rentals Price City touring bike, 7-speed Included Electrically assisted bike limited number, only on request€ 154 Helmet € 10 - Season E 2025 May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; Jun 7, 14, 21, 28; Aug 23, 30; Sep 6 from € 13902025 departures: May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; Jun 7, 14, 21, 28; Aug 23, 30; Sep 6
2025 May Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 June Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 August Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 September Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Double occupancy Lower deck Twin cabin € 1390 Upper deck Twin cabin € 1640 Suite € 1940 Single occupancy Price Lower deck Twin cabin for single use € 2040 Upper deck Single cabin € 2105 Twin cabin for single use € 2415 Bike Rentals Price City touring bike, 7-speed Included Electrically assisted bike limited number, only on request€ 154 Helmet € 10
- Season A 2025 Mar 30 from € 8902025 departures: Mar 30
2025 March Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Double occupancy Lower deck Twin cabin € 890 Upper deck Twin cabin € 1290 Single occupancy Price Lower deck Twin cabin for single use € 1290 Upper deck Single cabin € 1650 Bike Rentals Price City touring bike, 7-speed Included Electrically assisted bike limited number, only on request€ 154 Helmet € 10 - Season B 2025 Apr 13 from € 9902025 departures: Apr 13
2025 April Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Double occupancy Lower deck Twin cabin € 990 Upper deck Twin cabin € 1390 Single occupancy Price Lower deck Twin cabin for single use € 1440 Upper deck Single cabin € 1780 Bike Rentals Price City touring bike, 7-speed Included Electrically assisted bike limited number, only on request€ 154 Helmet € 10 - Season D 2025 Apr 27 from € 12902025 departures: Apr 27
2025 April Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Double occupancy Lower deck Twin cabin € 1290 Upper deck Twin cabin € 1690 Single occupancy Price Lower deck Twin cabin for single use € 1890 Upper deck Single cabin € 2170 Bike Rentals Price City touring bike, 7-speed Included Electrically assisted bike limited number, only on request€ 154 Helmet € 10 - Season E 2025 May 11, 25; Jun 8 from € 13902025 departures: May 11, 25; Jun 8
2025 May Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 June Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Double occupancy Lower deck Twin cabin € 1390 Upper deck Twin cabin € 1790 Single occupancy Price Lower deck Twin cabin for single use € 2040 Upper deck Single cabin € 2300 Bike Rentals Price City touring bike, 7-speed Included Electrically assisted bike limited number, only on request€ 154 Helmet € 10
Included services
- 7 nights accommodation in climate-controlled cabin in the booked category
- Full board (7x breakfast, 6x picnic lunch during bike tours, 7x three-course dinner)
- Use of bed linen and towels (change of towels daily possible); daily light cleaning of the cabin
- Welcome drink and speech on the first evening
- Experienced tour leader (multilingual) with daily briefings of the bike tours, some short city tours, during the day the tour leader is cycling the daily bike tour and can be reached on his/her cell phone while guests are able to cycle on their own if they wish
- Printed instructions and detailed maps for the daily bike tours (1 set per cabin); GPS tracks
- Ferry to Texel
- Use of Wifi on board
- Daily complimentary coffee and tea till 4:00pm
- Live music on board
Special dietary requests may be accommodated; you must include your request at the time of booking. For gluten-free or dairy-free diets, a €50 supplement will be collected on board at arrival.
Map
Maps are for information purposes only and reflect typical routes between overnight locations. They may not reflect your actual route.
Surface and terrain
The terrain is flat and the cycle paths are mostly concrete or paved roads. If guests don’t want to cycle a day (or more) then can relax and stay on board while the ship is sailing.
How to get there
Tour start and end
Nearest airport: Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)
Nearest train station: Amsterdam CentraalIt's a short distance from the train station to the pier via taxi.
Tips on getting to and from your tour
Reviews
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★★★★★ Carol Morningstar 4 months ago
Wonderful Bike Cruise and exceptional sites to see while biking
Loved this cruise. We hope to book Croatia next year. The staff was wonderful and our director (Ken I think?) worked tirelessly to make everyone's trip wonderful. The food was good but we were disappointed that we had to pay to get water at dinner. This should always be free! Also we would have liked coffee available all day.
One complaint was our room. Others who also ordered the basic stateroom had twice the size of ours for the same price. We were in a back room that had minimal space and NO CLOSET space or anywhere to hang anything! We had two shelves each for our clothes. We think it was actually a staff room for one person, yet we had to share it. I needed to climb over my husband to get out of bed at night.
Not comfortable! That was disappointing but we got used to it and loved the cruise anyway. I do believe it should have been a much reduced price though.- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug 24 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Donald Adler 5 months ago
Smooth
Well organized, quality people, cycling, scenery.
The boat was clean, comfortable and an ideal way to see other parts of this region -
★★★★★ TIMOTHY BOUWKAMP 10 months ago
Awesome
Weather was cold, rainy, and windy. Service on the boat was great.
The wifi on the boat was terrible. -
★★★★★ Marie DeBell October 16, 2023
Holland by bike was a delight!
The perfect way to see northern Holland! The boat was small enough to socialize but big enough to have all the amenities for comfort.
Our guides were Dutch and really knowledgeable about the routes , the history and the sights. The boat staff were friendly and helpful. Solid bikes. Next time I’ll choose Anne-bike because the wind is equal to hills!- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Marie DeBell October 12, 2023
The landscape is stunning! And the trip loads of fun
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip with bike tours. The boat was small enough to get to know our fellow passengers and big enough to have lots of amenities. The bikes were sturdy and trustworthy. Lots of distance options and great support from our trip guides. Good food and comfortable beds. What more could we ask for? Perhaps less head winds but it is Holland!
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★★★★★ Marie DeBell October 12, 2023
The landscape is stunning! And the trip loads of fun
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip with bike tours. The boat was small enough to get to know our fellow passengers and big enough to have lots of amenities. The bikes were sturdy and trustworthy. Lots of distance options and great support from our trip guides. Good food and comfortable beds. What more could we ask for? Perhaps less head winds but it is Holland!
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★★★★★ Stephen Graham September 7, 2022
Beautiful area and bike infrastructure
Fun for experienced riders but also easy for novices to learn the fun of bike touring in such a lovely and historically interesting area. Flat and easy to ride, only a bit of wind & rain sometimes, with great bike lanes everywhere, plus little to carry as the hotel followed us around by water! Only drawback was we would have liked to have dinner in towns and meet locals on some nights, since restaurants were often within steps of the boat, rather than be locked into nightly three-course meals on board as if isolated on the high seas...
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Ozzie July 18, 2018
A great trip!
A well organised tour that we thoroughly enjoyed. The crew of De Holland and the tour leader Sandra did a great job..always very helpful and went out of the way to ensure everything ran smoothly. Would be happy to do another bike boat trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 23/6/2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ 2pedallers July 7, 2018
A windy but enjoyable ride!
A good introduction to the history and culture and geography of Northern Holland. Good biking routes, but time constraints and weather impacted our ability to fully enjoy some of the possible outings/stops along the way.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 16-23, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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